For weeks, many have wondered what the Milwaukee Bucks would do with their final roster spot, and the answer has been revealed.
Per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Bucks are signing Meyers Leonard to a deal to finish out the season. Leonard just finished up his second 10-day contract with the Bucks after spending nearly two years away from basketball, and if he were to stick around in Milwaukee, this type of deal was needed. Leonard will now finish out the year with the Bucks as Milwaukee’s 15-man roster is set.
Reaction to the Milwaukee Bucks officially signing Meyers Leonard
This news is not overly surprising. While some debated who the Bucks should bring aboard using their final roster spot, Leonard always seemed like the most viable option. That is primarily due to the position he plays, which is center. Behind Brook Lopez and Bobby Portis, the Bucks did not have a traditional center on the roster before this move. Leonard will now fill that void and provide some quality depth at the position for the remainder of the season.
In his five appearances with the Bucks thus far, Leonard has not put up the gaudiest numbers with averages of 2.8 points and two rebounds in 6.8 minutes per game. However, he’s been a passable big man to alleviate some of the workload off of Lopez and Portis. Even if Leonard’s role is not set in stone, he still fits the archetype of big men this Milwaukee team likes to have, meaning he can space the floor well and be somewhat of an obstacle inside defensively. As a career 39.1 percent 3-point shooter, the seven-footer fits the mold.
At the end of the day, Leonard is the 15th man on this roster, and he likely will not see prominent minutes. For depth purposes, it’s a solid move to solidify this veteran-oriented roster as they gear up for a hopefully deep playoff run. The Bucks did not have to save this 15th roster spot and could have saved some money if they did not, but this move shows how much the front office wanted to fortify this roster with more depth.
Stay tuned to see how Leonard’s tenure with the Bucks plays out over the next few months.